Hello- thanks for all the lovely comments on my last post. I am feeling pretty positive about going into hospital. Of course I would rather not go, but it will mean I can get back to being healthy and feeling better so it will be worth it. I met the new consultant (after I complained they have moved me to someone else- the old consultant had no spaces free til April anyway) and he was so reassuring- he kept asking me if I had any more questions and talked me through his “plan”.
Although now I have to decide what to pack- panic! When I go on holiday, I write a list a few weeks in advance, so only having a few days seems short notice! Anything I should take?
Anyway, back to the bagels. On our holiday in the summer we bought a bagel slicer. I had only seen these at breakfast buffets- never in the shops, so it was very exciting. I had not had bagels in ages, but Andy bought some as he likes one for breakfast before a race, so I got to use it!
You can of course use a bread knife, but when I do it one half ends up much thinner, or in fact I cut at such an angle that I only slice of 1/4 of it. Anyway, you put the bagel in it.
Then you put the blade section on the top, and push it down.
All the way down. It slices the bagel into two perfect halves.
Lift off the blade bit, then get out your bagel.
I slice them before freezing, so I did the whole bag.
Today I fancied a bagel for lunch (with pb), and I appreciated the two identical halves! 🙂 I love cinnamon raisin bagels- mmm.
Also, I treated myself to a pre-operation present- a mini teapot. Apparently it is a 2 cup teapot- perhaps if you drink from dolls cups. It has a filter in it too, so I can use it for loose leaf tea. I also got myself some of that.
I pretended I was at a tea room/the waffle house (you know, when they give you a teapot, a cup, some milk and then another cup/ jug with more water to top up the pot with)- I had some loose leaf cinnamon tea in there and once I poured out a cup (which was my smallest Minnie cup and was most of the teapot) I topped it up with more hot water, and have had a second cup whilst typing this. The small things please me 🙂
The teapot was 30% off (I love having the Whittard outlet nearby) and the tea was buy one, get one half price. I got some loose rooibos with orange and cinnamon, and some teabags with cinnamon, cardamom and ginger (which I can’t find on the website so I wonder if they are discontinuing them).
As an immediate (well almost) post op treat I have ordered myself one of these yoga mats, as I am determined to pick it up again and I think it will help me gain some strength back too. I am hoping it will be a good mat as my current one is terrible and I slide all over the place. Plus I had a 10% Sheactive code from subscribing to Women’s Running (wrspringrun).
I am also going to treat myself to some new trainers, so once I have started again I am going to go up to Sweatshop and see what they advise- I have never done that before- usually I just try them on and they have been fine, but I think it will be a good idea as I always got along with Nike ones, but my current ones (which were the “improved” model of my old ones) are not as good. They are comfy, but not brilliant. I even dreamt about buying running shoes last night- although in my dream I had bought them in American and only realised when I tried them on that they were made like jelly shoes, and also they were the wrong size and I would not be able to return them. I think I must really miss running!
Right, I need to start writing my list. There are complicated rules it seems- I can only take 5Kg with me on the day (as I think someone has to transport my luggage from where I am admitted to the ward I will be staying in), but I am allowed one visitor one the first day only, so Andy can always bring in other bits then. Also on one piece of paper it said no food was allowed (although my Dad brought me in some fruit last time) unless you check with the staff! But I was going to get Andy to bring me in a few bits anyway. I have started a list (someone mentioned taking pen and paper which is a fab idea as I cannot remember much of what was told to me from my last stay in there)- but I would appreciate any comments on what else to pack.
Have a lovely weekend everyone 🙂
Rules for going into hospital? Sounds more like you are flying with ryanair! Don’t suppose they put any helpful suggestions in their?
I’m sure the staff would let you take food in, maybe its in case other patients have nut allergies etc.
The yoga mat looks lovely – have you ever tried washing a yoga mat? I keep thinking mine needs a wash but think i should wait until the weather warms up so it can dry outside, what do you think?
Have a lovely weekend
xx
I think the restrictions may be to put off people bringing in fast food- it does say something like ” a little bit of what you fancy can do you good, but food cannot be stored on the wards”- may be that they have no fridges and also don’t want people eating burgers and stuff.
This mat is washable, 40C, but not the spin cycle or anything. I would probably just wipe it down with a damp cloth though.
Yeah, hospital wards can be quite warm, so I don’t imagine they are the ideal place for food storage! (This talk reminds me of a charater in Cancer Ward who would hide his food from everyone else and be really stingy – anyway irrelevant side note!!)
I’m really considering trying yoga again. I had a hard time doing the mind part of yoga before but am finding I’m getting a lot more aches and stiffness and I think yoga could help? I don’t know! Are there any beginner DVDs or youtubers you would recommend? I would book myself in for a class but not really much point down here in Bristol anymore with not long left! 🙁
I like the ones on yogadownload.com- my fave one is the 20 mins yoga for runners, but I have also tried a couple of other ones. They are free (you can buy longer ones) and you can print off pose guides which I think are easier than trying to look at the TV or something- I can have the piece of paper on the floor/on the mat/ in my hand if I need it. my mind wanders when I do it- I am not very spiritual or anything, but I think it is good to concentrate on the movements and your breathing.
I think I will be getting Andy to bring in cereal bars and things that don’t need to be kept cold.
I think getting back into yoga after your op is a good idea, it will definitely help you to ease back into exercising and not take anything too quickly. That is a bit ridiculous that you can’t take food in, as I can’t imagine veggies/vegans are catered for very well! I am also going to go into a shop and get advice and get my gait analysed in the next few weeks before I buy a new pair of trainers, will be interesting to see what they suggest.
I hope you get on OK with getting your gait analysed- I have been nervous about it before, but I think it will be useful.
I think your doing the right thing treating yourself to plenty of things for when you get out of hospital! I would love a teapot with a built in diffuser for work. I think lots of snack bars that can be easily hidden away would be a good idea!
Well Laura get thee to a Whittards sharpish 🙂 They had the filter bits behind the till, not on display- you have to find a teapot with a little gap at the top, where the handle of the filter goes if that makes sense- then they should have them. Yes cereal bars will be smuggled in I think!
So glad you’ve finally got the date… although it’s not nice to look forward to, you won’t know anything about the actual op and then you can start getting better! I bet it has been awful not running but you’ve been so upbeat and non-complaining about it; I really hope you can get back to it as soon as possible. What they said about general good health should mean you do recover more quickly? (I agree about what the nurse said really, you’d assume most people they see wouldn’t be in perfect health 🙂 )
I’d take a good book and depending on how long you’re in for, maybe dry shampoo? And some tea bags 🙂
Dry shampoo is a fab one- thanks! They said after 48 hours I will be allowed a shower, but I had not thought of that . Thanks 🙂
That’s a strange policy about the food – I’ve never heard of NO food at all, I thought it was just cooked things (actual ‘meal’ meals) and stuff that could harbour bacteria? Forcing hospital food upon people is a fate worse than death…the only edible thing when I went in for my op were Weetabix.
That bagel slicer is so nifty – I showed it to my Mum and she wants one now! She loves kitchen gadgets – the Lakeland catalogue is her Bible 🙂
xxx
Well Andy’s Mum bought one (for me, but we got one the same time) and she keeps saying she will sell it on ebay- so tell your Mum to look out for it! I love it too- simple things for me 🙂
When I was in before my Dad brought in some fruit- I think it is more meals that they are against, and I suppose having to store things too, or people bringing in junk. I am sure my pots of fruit and cereal bars will be OK. It was just worded in a funny way in all the info.
Oh I really want a bagel slicer! 😀 are they the new York bakery co bagels?
I hope everything goes ok with the hospital.
Jessica 🙂
Yes they were the cinnamon raisin ones. I like the food doctor ones too. 🙂 Yes, a bagel slicer is really very nifty!
I’ve never seen a bagel slicer before, but they look like such a great invention! I am so rubbish at slicing bagels – I usually end up with a hole in one side.
Luckily, I’ve only stayed in hospital once when I was 10, so I’m not sure what would be good to take. Lots of books and magazines would probably be a must for me.
It’s great that you can finally look forward to getting back into exercise once you’ve recovered. Buying new kit is a fabulous motivator 🙂
If you don’t post before, good luck with the op! xxx
Thank you 🙂 I have packed a few magazines and a book, and Andy will bring my Kindle in later that day so should be sorted on that front.
Love that bagel slicer! I was telling Liam about how you had one when I was slicing my bagel for lunch today 😀
I hope your hospital stay tomorrow goes as well as it can do. I’m sure you’re all packed by now but just thought I’d add my tuppence worth. I took lots of food in my hospital bag when I went in to give birth – little cartons of apple juice, dried fruit, nuts, cereal bars etc. More snacky foods than meals, although people did bring fresh stuff in for me. Some of it I took in with me and some I got people to bring in when I realised I was going to be in a good few nights. I also got Liam to bring in a bottle of squash last time, as I don’t like drinking tap water at room temperature.
After the births I was too ill to really care what I was eating, but when I stayed in hospital with Izzy (and therefore wasn’t ill myself) I remember being so thankful to my Grandma who brought me in a big pot of fresh fruit and a luxury lemon curd yoghurt. She’s in and out of hospital a lot herself so must have known what I’d be missing!!
I also took in slippers/slipper socks for walking about in, magazines (I couldn’t concentrate long enough to read a book, but magazines were ok), phone charger (I didn’t have this with me when I took Izzy into hospital, so it was the first thing I asked Liam to bring in!), lipbalm and moisturiser as my skin always goes really dry in hospital… mind drawing a blank now, but hopefully you’ve got everything sorted anyway.
Good luck, will be thinking of you xx
Well Andy’s Mum keeps meaning to sell hers on ebay (she bought it for me the same time that we bought ours!) so look out! 🙂
And thanks for all the advice too- I have packed a little bag of snacks- pots of fruit, rice pudding, cereal bars and crackers that Andy will bring in, so I should be OK there. Good call on the lipbalm- I got such cracked skin when I was in before (on my hands too, must get some handcream). 🙂
Oh my word – I have never seen such a contraption! How brilliant (and I imagine it would be a brilliant teaching aid should the french revolution make it onto the primary school curriculum… or maybe not!!). I remember hearing a staggering statistic once about the percentage of ER admissions (presumably in North America) on weekend mornings that were due to bagel slicing injuries, so I think your slicer was definitely a worthwhile investment!
I’m so glad that you had a better hospital experience when you saw the doctor last week and it’s great that the date they gave you for the op was so soon – far less time to worry and wonder about it all! I will be thinking of you tomorrow and I hope that everything goes smoothly. I really admire how you have handled everything so far, even though I know it must have been a very frustrating time.
Lots of love, x x x
Thanks 🙂 I can imagine there would be injuries- I always used to slice them most un-safely by holding it in my hand and cutting the knife towards my hand- it was only a matter of time I am sure.!
I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow!!
Thank you 🙂
Good luck for tomorrow. I hope everything goes well. x
Good Luck tomorrow! And I too, am a fan of the bagel slicer! We have them at work that are awesome =)
They are so brilliant! I have never seen them in the UK though- we need them over here!
I hope everything goes well at the hospital! x
Thanks 🙂